


Welcome to Pluto

by Small_Mercy



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Friends as Family, Friendship, Gen, Hot Chocolate, home for the holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:54:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28560888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Mercy/pseuds/Small_Mercy
Summary: Now Garcia would never complain about her Profilers. She loved her superhero’s. But when the holidays came round she was excited to not have to deal with their hyper vigilance.
Relationships: Penelope Garcia & Spencer Reid, The BAU Team & Penelope Garcia
Kudos: 9





	Welcome to Pluto

Garcia was shot six weeks ago, and in that time she barely if ever had been alone. Morgan, JJ, Reid, Prentiss and even Rossi and the most surprising of all Anderson had taken on a weird sort of schedule making sure she was not going home alone if there was a case or just checking in if there was, which was apparently the job of their paper pushing physic super geek Anderson.

Really how does that boy even know when she needs a distraction or which distraction to provide. He always had been with the BAU to assist but rarely did more than sort out files before they got to JJ and filed finished files when the team was no doubt pulled away on another case before they were finished. He also worked with a few other teams doing the same thing, and despite his constant presence in the bull pen Garcia would be lying if she said she gave the man much thought before those six weeks. 

Yet, Anderson’s psychic and practically silent powers of cheering her up had nothing on when the team was not on case and the younger agents created a revolving door on her couch. JJ and always stayed on Monday and it’s Halmark till they pass out, Reid Tuesday and Thursday switching between doctor who episodes and Sherlock which the boy genius constantly complains about before and after watching but is completely engaged during the episode, Prentiss has wine Wednesday, Friday was girls night apparently and the weekend was reserved for her Chocolate god of thunder and a whole host of different activities. That is unless Rossi felt the need to invite the team over for a team dinner. Something that never happened in the before but happened three times after. 

Now Garcia would never complain about her Profilers. She loved her little superhero’s. But when the holidays came round she was excited to not have to deal with them. Or at least that is what she said to Morgan when he tried to convince her to come to Chicago, or to JJ when she almost canceled her flight to see her ‘non-beau’ before taking him to Pennsylvania with her, or Prentiss and her promise to abandon a family Christmas to spend the holiday with Penelope. Hell even Rossi and Hotch offered for her not to be alone. At which point she informed her pseudo family quite loudly in fact that she did not need their overprotective posturing.

That was at lunch and as she suffered five hours in silence she had been too harsh. Or if becoming annoyed at the teams over protectiveness was something that all agents felt after they went through an ordeal. 

Her answer came in the form of Reid who entered her lair with a pair of cellophane bags containing hot coco bombs with their names on them, a Christmas time staple at the BAU, and a pair of over sized mugs with steaming milk, and a soft smile. 

“They mean well.” He says as he sets the drink down and hands her one cellophane bag. While he opens and deposits the other one into his cup. 

“They are being mother hens. Which like if it was Em and Jayje and Der I would understand. Not agree with not be excited by but understand. But Italian stallion and boss man.” She says trying to pull Reid into her anger.

He lets out a soft chuckle that is not condemning but does let her know that her attempt at pulling him into her misery was not well played. She let out a huff leaning back in her chair and allowing it to swing to the left so she was facing the young lengthy genius. He just continues his one man staring contest until their eyes meet again and he and motions to her cup.

She shakes her candy cane colored pigtails with yet another huff as she dumps the content of the bag into the water. Both watching as the milk turns chocolate and small marshmallows bubble to the surface. Each year the marshmallows are her favorite part because they always seem to have a special meaning to the person who receives that hot cocoa bomb. And they must all be hand made by some secret elf who is getting better because this time instead of colorful hearts she has little blue misshapen rectangles that she can immediately identify as the tardis without the normal passing around of the cup in the bullpin while Derek tries his hand at a blend of marshmallow Pictionary and token psychoanalysis. 

She smiles as she takes a sip wondering for the first time this year who exactly is making these special treats. Her mind goes to Anderson and she begins to wonder if he could be the culprit of holiday cheer. She laughs after a second though because she seems to remember him stating quite clearly, as he offered her a vanilla flavored cookie on the last case, that the culinary arts were not for him. 

“Whose that smile for?” Reid asks sipping his own drink. 

“Just trying to suss out our harbinger of holiday hot coco.” She explains to which Reid offers her a over stated nod ready to humor her as he does every year. 

“Who is the primary suspect this year?” He asks taking yet another sip. 

“Anderson, the man is a saint I tell you. But baking not one of his saintly qualities. I am pretty sure his Christmas cookies have enough vanilla in them to choke a horse.” 

“Actually choking a horse is…” 

“Junior G Man. It’s a saying.” She says reaching out to bump her hand against his knee. 

“I know that,” he says but blushes in a way that makes her wonder if he does. They fall back into a comfortable silence for a few minutes before the boy genius decides to add something else, “ really an over pouring of vanilla is a vast improvement,” he states and Garcia wants to ask what it is an improvement on but before she can swallow her sip and open her mouth Reid continues, “next time Grant brings some cookies by again send them to Gina over in the crime scene unit. She is the only person I have ever seen who is able to stomach them.” 

“Who?” She asks. 

“Grant Anderson,”

“His first name is Agent.” She says hoping the reference isn’t lost on Reid and wondering how now after working with the man for four years and spending the past six weeks allowing him into her tech dungeon she didn’t know his first name. Reid doesn’t speak again as he finishes the dregs of his coco. 

“It’s a um reference.” She offers and Reid just nods. 

“I should get back to my desk, no doubt the empty inbox has populated a good deal of files by this point.” He whispers uncurling himself from the desk and standing up. 

“It gets better right,” She blurts out as his hand meets the door “I mean the more time that passes the team backs off don’t they.” She pushes on watching as an expression crosses Reid’s face and though Garcia is no Profiler she knows it is not a good expression. He looks back at her with a short nod before leaving.


End file.
